Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Longwood in August (last)

Having already seen the herb beds at Davidson Mill Pond Park and Rutgers Gardens, I was eager to see them at Longwood Gardens. I loved this little knot garden. Unfortunately, I didn't make note of the plants.The herb beds themselves use the same scheme as Rutgers Gardens. The herbs are grouped by use: culinary, medical, industrial and scent. There are four corresponding beds arranged around the little square.

It seems that I only took photos of three of them and in only one did I capture the identifying signage. That just means that I'll have to go back! There is a lovely little rose garden next to the herbs. The roses were past their prime but the container plantings were magnificent.

Each corner of the square has a container like this:

Aren't these water plants wonderful?

My favorite was the succulent containers. Don't you just love the pots?

Who knew peppers could be so attractive?

The vegetable garden is the largest I have ever seen. This is half of it:

What are they feeding these tomato plants that they got so big?

They practice companion planting. Beautiful as well as effective.

The sunflower house in the children's garden is an actual "house".

The signage in the children's garden is appropriate for all ages.

Then it was on to the display gardens where we could get ideas for our own plots in the display gardens at Rutgers Gardens.

Again, I was fascinated by the unique combinations of plants.

A trial garden . . .

In the butterfly and hummingbird garden I saw my first monarch caterpillars. I've never seen them in person before.I loved these lilies.This was definitely the most interesting fountain I saw. It has a sign on it saying that the water is drinkable. I'm not sure that I would want to.

It is situated at the entrance of another rose garden whose roses were also past their prime.

Beyond that was the entrance to the Topiary Garden.

The topiary are trimmed every July and August.And a final piece of sculpture as I bid goodbye to Longwood Gardens: